Trump orders DOJ task force to investigate wide range of fraud

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Justice Department will head-up a new presidential task force to investigate a range of fraud targeting various groups and Americans, officials said Wednesday. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

July 11 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice announced an interagency task force ordered by President Donald Trump Wednesday, that will combat consumer fraud.

The Task Force on Market Integrity and Consumer Fraud was prompted by Trump's order and is designed to work as a unified effort by the Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Trade Commission.

Other federal agencies, including all Cabinet-level entities and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, will target crime in a range of areas, from healthcare to financial markets and digital currencies.

Officials said they will also seek input from local and state law enforcement.

"We expect to focus on cases involving fraud against the government, the financial markets, and consumers; procurement and grant fraud; securities and commodities fraud; digital currency fraud; money laundering; healthcare fraud; tax fraud; and other financial crimes," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said as he introduced the task force Wednesday. "One of our first goals will be to survey our partner agencies to identify areas of vulnerability and ensure that we devote appropriate resources to address them."

Rosenstein cited the recent announcement of 601 criminal defendants in a coordinated healthcare fraud scheme said to involve more than $2 billion in false billings. He also referred to 74 arrests in a financial fraud case in which companies and real estate buyers are accused of transmitting money and personal information after fraudulent representation.

The president's order also asks U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' task force to deal with cases of cyber-fraud and crimes targeting the elderly and veterans.